


Midnight Snacks

by trascendenza



Category: The Chronicle (2001)
Genre: Food, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, POV Character of Color
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-09
Updated: 2010-01-09
Packaged: 2017-10-06 07:03:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/50987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trascendenza/pseuds/trascendenza
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tag to 1x15. <em>"I just want a big ol' glass of ice cold agua and my Chewbaca blanket."</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	Midnight Snacks

"Whoa, Wes, you okay?" Tucker said, stepping forward and putting a hand under Wes' elbow when he stumbled.

"Yeah, yeah, man. World's just tilting a little, you know what I mean?" He leaned on Tucker's shoulder. "Think I sweated out half my water content in that steam room."

"Tell me about it." Tucker turned the key to their door, supporting Wes as they walked in. "I'll never look at a sauna the same way again. Here, let's get you to bed, you look exhausted."

Wes nodded, walking slowly. "Can't lie, man. I'm runnin' pretty close to empty right now. I just want a big ol' glass of ice cold agua and my Chewbaca blanket."

Tucker grinned. "Coming right up."

Wes squeezed his hand on Tucker's shoulder. "My man."

Tucker guided Wes over to the futon and helped him sit down. Wes started taking off his shoes, slowly and methodically untying the laces while Tucker went to the kitchenette and filled a glass of water from the Brita filter.

"Midnight quesadilla?" He offered, opening up the fridge and examining the contents. "I don't know about you, but I could go for some major comfort food."

"If you're cooking," Wes said, yawning and slipping his shirt off, "count me in." He smiled brightly. "Extra cheese, if you please."

"But of course."

Wes hummed approvingly and laid back, wrapping Chewbaca's face around his torso and snuggling down onto his R2-D2 pillow. Tucker brought him the glass of water and he drained it before closing his eyes. He half-dozed as Tucker fried up the tortillas, stirring when Tucker plopped down beside him, a heaping plate of small, steaming hot quesadillas in his lap.

"Damn, Tuck, what'd you do? Raid Mexico's entire stash of corn or somethin'?"

"Hey, if you don't want --"

"Not complaining," Wes said, grabbing a handful of them before Tucker could move the plate away. "If anything, I'm appreciating."

"I know Grace doesn't subscribe to my philosophy, but I've always felt it's impossible to go wrong with a well-applied cheese product." Tucker chewed on his first bite, eyelids fluttering in bliss. "And the world has yet to prove me wrong."

"Amen," Wes said, leaning over and tapping his quesadilla against Tucker's like a toast.

They ate in companionable silence for awhile, punctuated only by dairy-product induced exhortations of happiness, until they'd polished them all off. Wes fished under the bed and pulled out a bag of oreos.

Tucker eyed them. "Oooh, double stuff."

"Saving them for a special occasion." Wes tore the package open. "And if helping Bryce find peace ain't a special occasion, I don't know what is." He held out the bag to Tucker, who grabbed three.

"You know, Wes." Tucker said, after he'd practically inhaled the first one. "I just wanted to say --"

"It's cool, man."

"But I wanted to, you know, apologize, that is, in case I've ever done anything to --"

"Really." Wes turned his head. "It's cool. I know, Tuck B, you don't gotta say it."

"Yeah, well." Tucker's grin was crooked. "I'd say thank you, but you'll probably cut me off before I manage that, won't you?"

Wes smiled. "You learn quick."

"But I did want to say one thing."

Wes inclined his head, _all right, Tuck, do what you gotta do._

"I know that this... I know this was hard for you. This whole story." Tucker got a little quiet. "And the whole thing with Bryce. I mean, what happened to him was so -- so --"

"Yeah." Wes said, exhaling heavily. "Yeah, it was. You know the weirdest part about all this?"

"What?"

"Man, it was like I went right back to being fifteen again, you know? You think you're all grown up, but all it takes is one stupid guy who thinks he can sweat the fat out of these poor kids, or those parents who thought they were doing Royce a favor, and suddenly it felt like it all happened yesterday, like I was still looking in the mirror and hating what I saw there. And I was one of the _lucky_ ones, you know, 'cause I had parents who never tried to pull that kinda crap on me and who supported me no matter what everyone else thought, whether it was me shooting pictures of UFOs or not making varsity basketball."

Wes let out a gusty sigh. "All I gotta say is, thank god for growing up." He bumped Tucker on the shoulder. "Now where's the number to that place that sells the pizza with the extra-thick crust? I wanna get some carbohydrates up in here, and quick."

Tucker laughed, pulling out his cell. "I'll give 'em a call."

Wes nodded, satisfied, popping another cookie in his mouth.


End file.
